OurGrid

Project description

The main challenge of this project was to explain electricity grid congestion in a way that is clear for non-technical users, while still being accurate. Grid congestion is a complex topic, but it affects daily life and the energy transition. We created a public, no-login website that explains what congestion is, why it happens (peak demand in local areas), and how the OurGrid app helps reduce pressure on the grid by encouraging households to shift their electricity use. The key design goal was to turn an abstract infrastructure problem into something understandable, practical, and relevant for both households and municipalities.

Context

This project is in the smart energy and public communication domain. The electricity grid is under increasing pressure due to electrification (EVs, heat pumps) and more renewable energy sources. In many neighbourhoods, demand can exceed local capacity during peak hours, creating grid congestion. OpenRemote’s OurGrid app supports energy communities and local organisations by showing energy insights, congestion signals, and challenges that motivate people to use electricity outside peak moments.

Our website works as a public information layer. It does not replace the app or provide real-time grid monitoring. Instead, it explains the problem and the solution in an accessible way, using clear content, practical FAQ answers, and example visuals. The website targets two key audiences: residents who want to understand what they can do, and municipalities who need clear communication and scalable community-based approaches.

Results

The main outcome is a working prototype of a public OurGrid website that explains grid congestion and presents the OurGrid app in a clear way. The website includes: a simple explanation of the problem (peak demand and limited local capacity), a “how it works” flow for the app, and an FAQ with practical answers for households and municipalities. We also added sample visuals/dashboards using static demo data, so visitors can understand peak vs off-peak and the idea of “grid stress” without needing real-time data.

We validated our choices through desk research on existing OurGrid pilots and by using stakeholder input from OpenRemote to keep the content realistic (e.g., how challenges and rewards work, and which information should be shown publicly). The value is that the website makes an invisible infrastructure issue understandable and actionable, which supports awareness and adoption.

About the project group

We are a two-person student team (Vladi Georgiev and Martin Fakirov). We worked on the OurGrid project for several weeks in collaboration with OpenRemote. We followed an iterative workflow: first understanding the topic through research, then designing the structure and visuals, and finally building and improving the website. We divided work between content/research, UI design, development and coordinated through regular check-ins and Git-based version control.

Repository